Free discounted travel cards

A free Travel Discount Card can be given to anyone that is on a low income and that needs help getting to an interview. There is also assistance given to someone that is starting a new job and that needs help to pay for the commuting costs. The discount card scheme help people both find a job and also transition to the work site for their new employer.

The scheme is provided by Jobcentre Plus advisors and is available across the UK. The discount will last for up to 3 months, but there are some instances in which the Travel Card will pay for the entire trip to the interview. That form of help paying for one hundred percent of the travel expenses will only last for one day.

This is a government safety net scheme that is aimed at helping the unemployed get back into the workforce. There are criteria in place in order to get assistance in paying for transportation, and they include the following.

The applicant needs to be on a government benefits. Most of the people that apply for the free discounted travel card are on Jobseekers Allowance, but it can also be provided to individuals that are on Income Support, Incapacity Benefit, Universal Credit, or a Support Allowance. The applicant needs to have also been unemployed for at least 3 months.

The applications are available at all Jobcentre Plus offices. There is also more information there on how to apply to the transportation programme. If there are are enquires to be made, then the advisor can answer questions on the scheme. All transportation bills can be covered, ranging from buses to trains or other types of mass transit.

Discounted or even free travel is provided in all cities. It can help someone that is local to London by topping off an Oyster card and people in Manchester can be given a free System One Card to pay for the Metroline. In some areas of the UK, the scheme is run in partnership with other organisations, such as WorkWise and their swift Card programme in Birmingham. No matter what city or borough the applicant lives in, they may get help in paying for transportation costs they have if it is work related.

The discounted travel cards do expire. In most cities the scheme will only last for 3 months if the individual is using it to pay for an interview. When someone needs help to pay for the commute to a new job, this form of support will only last for 28 days to one full month. This depends on what city or region the individual lives.

When a discount is provided, the savings can be rather large. People local to Greater Manchester can save over £100 for a 28 days travel pass. The amount of money saved in London or Birmingham can be even greater. A key factor in the total savings will be how far the person needs to travel to get to the interview and/or commute to work.

In an effort to combat fraud in this scheme, the tickets can’t be replaced. This means that anyone that is given either a free or discounted travel pass needs to keep it on them. If they lose it, claim it is stolen, or misplace it, another pass will not be issued to them. The local Jobcentre Plus can only provide help one-time only.

If may take 3 to 5 business days to provide the travel pass after it has been approved, so this is not an emergency scheme. This makes it a good idea to apply in advance, before a new job interview has been scheduled. To learn more, including to find out how to apply, ring or drop in at a Jobcentre Plus office.